crime. >> reporter: they are hire more civilians to help free up officers from desk duty to get most of the 616 oakland police officers on the streets. bill bratton will start early next year. the chief will not say exactly when. also, bill bratton is not the federal compliance director. you will remember a judge ordered oakland to have a compliance director. this is unrelated to that. live here in oakland, i'm da lin, cbs 5. in washington, it's coming down to the wire. only five days until we go tumbling over the "fiscal cliff." president obama is supposed to meet with congressional leaders tomorrow. cbs reporter danielle nottingham is in washington and danielle, how's it looking? >> reporter: well, elizabeth, there was not a lot of optimism on capitol hill today. both senate leaders admitting that congress is facing a hard deadline while at the same time, blaming each other for not having a deal in place by

now. president obama cut short his holiday vacation and returned to the white house to work on a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff." before flying home from hawaii, the president called congressional leaders nancy pelosi, john boehner, mitch mcconnell and harry reid to reach agreements before tax hikes and spending cuts kick in january 1. >> we have been asking the president and the democrats to work with us on a bipartisan agreement for months. >> i don't know time wise how it can happen now. >> reporter: the senate majority leader wants house republicans to return from their vacations to approve a democratic senate plan that extends tax cuts for families making less than $250,000 a year. >> that's the only option that is viable escape route. >> reporter: but republican leaders say it's up to democrats who control the senate and white house to avert the "fiscal cliff." >> republicans aren't about to write a blank check for

anything senate democrats put forward just because we find ourselves at the edge of the cliff. >> reporter: house members will return to capitol hill on sunday and could begin voting that night. they would have about 24 hours to approve a deal. adding to the urgency, treasury secretary timothy geithner warned congress that the nation's debt limit will be reached by december 31st and extraordinary measures would have to be taken to avoid default on the government's loans. danielle nottingham, cbs 5, washington. >> tomorrow's meeting with the president will be the first time president obama sat down with all four leaders since november 16th. and tonight, senator mitch mcconnell said that he was interested in hearing what the president proposes, elizabeth. >> sounds like right now there's a lot of finger- pointing but not a lot of problem-solving. >> reporter: exactly. and both sides again today,

house speaker john boehner, he was saying that to his house republicans on the conference call he said, look, the house has already acted on this problem. it's passed two bills. it's up to the senate to actually present some legislation and move on it. he said the house is more than willing to act on anything the senate passes. they just have to do it now. all that "fiscal cliff" talk gave wall street a wild ride today. the dow erased most of its 150- point deficit after promising news from washington. it ended up closing down 18 points. the nasdaq and s&p also closed down a bit. just in tonight, america has lost one of its most decorated and beloved war heroes. general norman schwartzkopf died today. he raised as an army brat spent his life in the military. in vietnam he famously rescued fellow soldiers by marking land mines with shaving cream. but he is best known for commanding the american-led

coalition in the 1991 gulf war. his temper earned him that nickname stormin norman. he was 78. a woman called 911 in the middle of the night screaming for help. officers showed up and when it was over they had shot and killed a man. it happened at an apartment complex on creekside drive in walnut creek. officers say that the man confronted them the moment they arrived at the apartment around 3:15 this morning. they won't say what kind of weapon he had but the police say they were forced to shoot him. he died at the scene. some neighbors managed to sleep through it all. >> a little unnerving because you wake up and find out there's a shooting outside your house. i didn't even hear it. >> this is walnut creek's first homicide of the year. other bay area headlines, police say one man was shot after gang members in south san jose got into an argument last night. the gunman fled and is still on the loose. this all happened on lullaby drive. the victim is expected to

survive. some people in brentwood tell us that they pulled an all- nighter worried about a gas leak. neighbors on allwood drive smelled gas around 6 p.m. pg&e crews showed up but didn't find the source of the leak until the morning. it was a cracked cap on an underground plastic gas main which was fixed right away. an 11-year-old boy from daly city was killed in a police chase in pasadena. cbs 5 reporter joe vazquez went to the family's neighborhood. joe. >> reporter: you can see this apartment building behind me. this is where the ing family makes their home. they were in pasadena visiting relatives on christmas day. riding in a van, police were chasing a suspect through the streets. that suspect vehicle smashed into the van and killed two cousins including 11-year-old kendrick ing. let this is a photo according

to kendrick's neighbor rita, she identified him from this facebook picture. she says the boy was always involved with sports and school and that his father was devoted to his children. [ crying ] >> the dad and boy would always travel together and see them together all the time. [ crying ] >> the father was always the one taking them to school... i would see them back and forth coming from sports and then... [ crying ] >> reporter: kendrick was killed, his other three-family members were involved in that crash at least two of them are still in the hospital. police are investigating this as possibly related to a murder -- a recent murder involving the killing of a sheriff's department employee. we'll have an update at 6:00.

live in daly city, joe vazquez, cbs 5. bay area seniors go on patrol to keep their neighborhoods safe. the kinds of crimes they are targeting. >> danger zone. walking around the city can be hazardous. but it's not the cars you should be worried about. >> and the beautiful day in the bay area but don't be lulled into a false sense of security! there's more rain on the way for the bay area. it doesn't look like a big deal. but that certainly looks nice. a few high clouds filtering in over the city in advance of a forecast coming up after a break. ,,,,,,

and time again, in many baya cities: there is more crime, and fewer officers. we have heard the problem time and time again in many bay area cities, not just oakland. there's more crime fewer officers. many neighborhoods have neighborhood watch groups. but cbs 5 reporter mark sayre shows us how one group is taking it a big step further. mark. >> reporter: well, elizabeth, police say that these neighborhood watch groups them an extra set of eyes and ears which is veally valuable in this time of shrinking police budgets but in one san jose

neighborhood residents are literally taking it to the streets. >> it's just something that doesn't look right. >> reporter: with a rising number of property crimes and a decreasing number of police officers, bud pyle decided to take action. >> but the number one thing we're looking for is somebody sitting in a car for a few minutes looking around or leaning on a car. >> reporter: pyle and several other volunteers from the eden neighborhood association are taking the concept of the neighborhood watch to a whole new level. >> i said, we're going to do it and starting tomorrow we're going to drive the neighborhood and every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and we got volunteers to do it. >> reporter: pile of and his team members are focusing their driving patrols during the day because that's when home burglaries are occurring when many people are away at work and school. >> we're very well armed. we have a pad and pencil. we have a camera. and we have a cell phone. and if we see anything that we want acted on, we'll call the police 911. >> reporter: as san jose operates with fewer officers, spokesman jason dwyer says response times to property

crimes have been going up. >> we understand we're still on the hook for responding to property crimes, burglaries, thefts, auto thefts. at the same time, the number one priority is to reduce violent crime. >> reporter: police say they are happy to see citizens going the extra mile but only to a point. >> don' intervene. it could end violently. >> reporter: suzie walks her dog almost every day and has noticed the new patrols out on the streets. >> i think we have to be as neighbors to watch out for each other. keep an eye because there is not enough sleep so i think it is important. >> reporter: so is it working? well, those neighborhood volunteers said there have not been any home burglaries in their community since they started these patrols but at this point they are not ready to claim success. reporting live in san jose, i'm mark sayre, cbs 5.

distract walking. it's a real problem, especially in the bay area. the new effort to keep pedestrians safe from their own smartphones. >> then you could own some of the best views in the world for a hefty price. the multi-million dollar bay area villa going up for auction. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

with a stubborn fever..

but tonight, a family spokesperson says the 88-ye- former president george h.w. bush remains in intensive care with a stubborn fever. but tonight, a family spokesman says the 88-year-old is now alert and in guarded condition. >> he's conscious. he recognizes people around him. he is joking with his doctors. those are all good signs. >> the cough that initially sent the former president to the hospital is said to have improved. doctors are cautiously optimistic about his treatment. one of the nation's largest payday lenders owes california consumers millions. on the consumerwatch, julie watts says that people who borrowed money from a company called check and go may actually be entitled to thousands of dollars each. julie. >> reporter: that's right. refunds in this $4.3 million settlement are expected to range anywhere from $20 to $4,600 per person. but to qualify, you must have borrowed money from check and go online.

now, at a press conference today san francisco city attorney dennis herrera said check and go skirted california law by preying on the most economically vulnerable and charging interest rates as high as 400%. >> they partnered with an out- of-state bank to essentially say that we are no longer subject to the limits of 36% apr that's set in california law so as part of the settlement that we have negotiated with them they have agreed to abide by california's limits. they have discontinued that relationship with the out of state bank. and they also have established this settlement fund. >> reporter: now, to qualify for a refund you must have taken out a four-month installment loan through one of three affiliated websites between november 2006 and june 2008. you now have 90 days to file a claim. and as we round out the year we have a few recalls to

remind you of. first up, the nap nanny. recently sued by the government following the death of five infants, the cpsc says its makers are unable or unwilling to issue a recall. so major retailers have now voluntarily recalled the product including amazon and baby bibs are us. home depot is recalling a mug. its silver handle is a fire hazard in the microwave. and think twice before packing away papyrus framed christmas ornament and trees with your decorations. mold spores have been discovered on the products posing serious health risks for some. other recalls include disney hoodies with lead paint in the zippers and lg washing machines that could cause injury or damage your home. for a full lives recalls and for a link to the check 'n go refund claim form head to cbssf.com/consumerwatch. a waterfront villa in

belvidere goes on the auction block this sunday. >> we have a starting price -- starting price -- $25 million! cbs 5 reporter don ford has a look at the luxuries state and what it takes to be the very first owner. >> reporter: it's one of the finest homes in the country. quite possibly one of the finest view homes in the world. this sunday it will be sold at auction. meet the realtor to the stars. if you have the money then you're a star. you had. >> it's the largest home in belvidere. it's a virgin home. no one has lived here yet. >> reporter: incredible world class views from every room. the deck alone is over 5,000 square feet. the master suite on the third floor opens out to the golden gate bridge. the entire city looks close enough to touch. and, of course, there's a home theater, wine cellar and private pool complete with art.

the wildlife flies and swims just yards away, and this beauty has brains, too. half dozen wall mounted ipads control lights, temperatures and, yes, security cameras. but had that's one big question. there's a saying if you have to ask how much it costs you can't afford it. clearly i can't afford it so i'm asking. guy is a luxury home auction consultant working with olivia. >> it's open to registered bidders only and in order to be a registered bidder you need a $300,000 cashiers check. >> reporter: that just gets you in the door to bid. the starting bid will be $25 million but it's believed the price will top $45 million. in belvidere, don ford, cbs 5. >> belvidere's version of a short sale i suppose. the storm that hit 30 states this week finally on the way out of the country. it's part of the same storm system that spawned dozens of tornadoes. at least 15 people died, thousands lost their power. now the bad weather continues

to delay flights in the northeast and that is bad news for holiday travelers trying to get home. >> only 45 minutes away fingers crossed it will stay that way. >> hopefully get us to the airport on time hopefully. >> the storm now moving through new england and into canada. but forecasters say more snow could hit the east coast this weekend. and we did check with sfo a few minutes ago. right now flights to and from new york delayed by up to an hour. airports gearing up for what's supposed to be a very busy travel weekend. here in the bay area, we are sort of relishing in this nice break from the rain. >> don't get used to it. we do a store on "eye on the bay" with olivia decker on a house that was listed for $62 million in belvidere. i said why not 63? >> we'll take it! >> let head out. we have a few high clouds floating in over the bay area.

aside from that it was a gorgeous day for the bay. high surf advisories posted for the bay area. we have surf that will be up to 20 field. the swell out of the northwest from 10 to 14, strong rip currents with this and it will be in effect until 10:00 saturday night. so those waves come from out of nowhere with a swell like that. showers late friday. like toward sunset in the north bay, clearing by saturday afternoon. high pressure though in the meantime is in place. that high pressure putting a lid trapping the moisture at the surface, so we could get some fog tonight. it will certainly be chilly near freezing at santa rosa and in the futurecast you can see what's going to unwind over the next 24 hours. high clouds filter in over tonight. that's why it's not going to get as cold as it could and then the rain comes friday afternoon. by 5:00 the rain is still offshore from the north bay so

those showers will move in late in the evening tomorrow and then overspread the rest of the bay area friday night early saturday morning and it will clear out by saturday afternoon. this is not a big rainmaker like a half inch to an inch at most. not much in terms of wind. patchy fog around the bay area tonight. heading out of the bay area increasing clouds at the airport and showers late tomorrow. there will be snow in chicago but sunshine in los angeles. so the southland looks nice. forecast lows 32 at santa rosa, 36 at san rafael and 46 along the coastline at pacifica. mid-50s will do it for the bay area for the most part. and in the extended forecast, we'll increase the clouds leading to showers tomorrow night in the north bay overspread the rest of the bay area, saturday looks wet for the first half. and then look at the rest. looks like it's going to be dry after saturday afternoon. so we finally get a chance to dry out. the fungus is going to die and all the other consequences. >> thank you. we'll be right back.

kicked off today. dr. kim mulvihill explains, drivers and pedestrians both

play a role. ep off the curb -- attention drivers, slow down! a campaign to make san francisco safer for pedestrians kicked off today. dr. kim mulvihill explains drivers and pedestrians both play a role. reporter: step off the curb and you take your life in your hands. the cars and trucks, the motorcycles, the bikes. the latest threat? all those little gadgets. >> yes, definitely pretty dangerous, yeah. >> reporter: new research shows how almost one in three pedestrians is distracted by mobile devices. texting is particularly risky. texters took 18% longer to cross the intersection and were four times more likely to ignore the lights. >> all the time everywhere. i have seen people almost get run over. [ laughter ] >> reporter: but it's no laughing matter especially in san francisco, one of the worst cities for pedestrians in the country. >> we have more pedestrian crashes than cities like chicago, seattle and boston. >> reporter: 's chief of

surgery at san francisco general hospital, dr. peggy knudsen sees pedestrian injuries almost every day. >> get hit by a vehicle, you're going to get hurt. if you are an adult, the way that you're struck by cars you're likely to have pelvic fractures, lower extremity fractures, rib fractures. if you are a child, you're going to get tossed and you're most likely to have a severe head injury. >> reporter: and in san francisco, two pedestrians are hit on average every, single day with 17 deaths each year costing the public more than $15 million. that's got the attention of mayor ed lee. >> we pick this day and this time and this area here to make this announcement that we have a pedestrian strategy that's going on a serious one. >> reporter: citywide effort targeting hot spots urging drivers to slow down and pedestrians to pay attention. a challenge when some feel texting is just not that dangerous. >> not if you're with a group of people. >> reporter: so who is at fault

with these collisions? well, using actual police records, it looks like almost half the time the pedestrians had something to do with the collision. and 30% of the time alcohol is involved. >> everyone in the group is texting? nobody is leading, nobody is looking, nobody's paying attention. >> reporter: somebody is going to get hurt. >> absolutely. >> reporter: pay attention everyone. >> go to the crosswalk. >> thanks. we'll be right back. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

flower has bloomed and it ss rotten: "32 there is that distinct l of a rotting

the royal botanic gardens in melbourne, australia, is causing a stink! a rare sumatran flower has bloomed and it smells rotten! >> said it smells of a rotting corpse. [ laughter ] >> apparently it lives up to its nickname the corpse flower. despite the smell, the giant bloom attraction fans from all over as well as pollinating flies and beetles. it only blooms once every six years and lasts for only two days and the smell probably lasts a lot longer than that. >> hm. >> well, here's what we're working on for the 6:00 news. we caught them lying to customers and writing bad checks. how our undercover investigation on a gold buyer launched a widespread warning. >> and struggling libraries. see a bright new chapter on the horizon. how someone else's struggle could provide a chance to turn the page. those stories and much more tonight at 6:00. the "cbs evening news" is coming up next. jeff glor in for scott pelley tonight. >> remember, the latest news and weather are always on cbssf.com. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com

>> glor: tonight, new doubts that a fiscal cliff deal can get done. the senate majority leader compares the house speaker to a dictator as the house says it will reconvene sunday. will they get back to talks? reports from nancy cordes and major garrett. we're also facing a dairy cliff. john blackstone on why milk may soon double in price. the drilling boom in colorado it's leaving towns flush with cash but what is it leaving behind? ben tracy is there. and dean reynolds on the men who create some of the most precious gifts. all retirees? >> all retirees. and they all get paid the same. >> reporter: nothing. >> nothing. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> glor: good evening, everyone.